Remote Robotic Stroke Surgery with CRONOS

At the SLICE Worldwide conference on November 8–9, 2024, our MASc candidate Thais Baena Moura showcased her groundbreaking work in remote robotic stroke surgery. In a live simulation, Dr. Vitor Pereira and Nicole Cancelliere performed a remote robotic thrombectomy from Buffalo, USA, using Thais’s prototype robot, CRONOS. Meanwhile, in Toronto, Canada, Thais and Greta (a research assistant from the RADIS lab) provided technical support and monitored the robot’s operation.

CRONOS (Continuum Robot for Navigated Endovascular Surgery) is a continuum robot developed as the centerpiece of Thais’s master thesis, co-supervised by the RADIS lab at St. Michael’s Hospital and the Continuum Robotics Lab (CRL). Built on the Open Continuum Robotics Project’s actuation module, CRONOS is tailored specifically for remote stroke interventions. The robot enables our team to test safe and effective parameters for long-distance robotic surgeries. For instance, we are investigating the impact of network quality on the feasibility of remote robotic stroke surgeries, setting critical benchmarks for safety and effectiveness in telemedicine.

Thais’s work with CRONOS demonstrates the potential to expand access to life-saving procedures in underserved areas, promoting healthcare equity and improving patient outcomes. Stay tuned for updates as she prepares to defend her thesis in January!